Heroes

Chater Eight

“Trust me, you’ll want me around sooner or later.”

He started. “And why would that be, little missy?”

“Little missy?” I said. “What are you, seventy-five?”

His face reddened, and he mumbled something unintelligible. I ignored it. “Please?” I said, pouting out my lower lip. “I wanna fight so so SO bad! I’ve wanted this all my life! Please, just let me follow you around, I promise I’ll do my best not to cause trouble!”

He stared off into space for a minute, continuing to walk. I caught up with him quickly, and when I did, he answered me.

“Okay,” he said. “I don’t really understand what you’re gonna tag around for, because I only helped that girl once and that was it, but sure, you can hang around me if you want. But, if anyone asks, just tell them you moved in next door and I’m showing you around ’cuz you’re new. Don’t tell them you’re living with us.”

I was excited that he accepted my (probably foolish) request, but a bit stunned at his demand. “Why do I have to keep it a secret?” I asked. “I mean, I have no problem with it, but I’m just a little curious.”

He sighed, and covered his face with my hand. “Because,” he said, as if the answer was something totally obvious, “if they find out you’re living with me, one, they’ll harass me more, and I get enough of that, and two, they’ll think something fishy is going on, something really suggestive.”

I pondered that for a second before I understood the innuendo. “Oh!” I said, realizing. I frowned, blushing. “Do people at your school really think that kind of stuff?”

He moved his hand back to his side. “Unfortunately, yes. There’s a lot of idiots at my school like that, so just be prepared.”

There was a silence, neither of us knowing how to fill the gap. Eventually we caught up with Keigo and my friends, and Keigo got the strange topic off Ichigo and mine’s minds.

“So,” Keigo asked. “What class did you guys get in?”

“Oh!” I said, pulling out the folded schedules Isshin handed me from my pocket. “Sorry, guys. Isshin gave them to me; the school sent them yesterday.” I handed each of them their schedules, and looked at my own.

“Hmph,” Babs said. “I got class 1-B. Typical.”

“Why’s that?” Keigo asked, looking a bit afraid of her reply. She did look seriously pissed.

“Babs hates the letter B,” I said.

“But it’s in her name!” Keigo said, dumbfounded.

“Yeah, whatever, it’s just a stupid letter,” Babs grumbled.

Tara scanned her schedule. “I got class 1-E.”

“Ooh,” Keigo said. “You got Hayama Sensei,” he said.

“What’s so bad about him?” she asked tentatively.

“Word around school is that he’s the toughest, and that he hits his students.”

Tara’s face crumpled a bit, and I held her arm in comfort. “You’ll be fine,” I said. “And if he lays a hand on you, just tell me. I’ll kick his ass, I promise.” She grinned a bit, and I think I heard a small chuckle escape her lips. I smiled and looked at my own schedule. “Class 1-C.”

“Hey!” Keigo said, obvious excitement sugar-coating his voice. “Ichigo and I are in the same class!”

I stared at Keigo, then turned to Ichigo. He was looking at me with a tired expression.